The present invention relates to an information recording control apparatus and file recording control method for properly recording files in a plurality of recording devices connected to a network.
In the past, a video camera for shooting a subject to acquire video data and a recording reproducing apparatus or other broadcast device for recording or reproducing shot image data were interconnected via an SDI (Serial Digital Interface) or other synchronous interface to transmit and receive files.
Recently, broadcast devices have improved, for instance, by incorporating an IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) 1394 terminal to support an asynchronous network such as a LAN (Local Area Network). The support for asynchronous networks has made it easy to exchange AV (Audio/Video) data files, which contain video data and audio data, between a remote device and a local device. Further, a file format such as the MXF (Material Exchange Format) is standardized so that AV data files can easily be exchanged between different models of devices and between different makes of devices. A technology for connecting a plurality of audio/video devices to a network and managing the audio/video devices is disclosed by Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 10-164820.
A conventional video recording reproducing system will now be schematically described. FIG. 4 illustrates a typical configuration of a conventional video recording reproducing system 100. The video recording reproducing system 100 includes a studio 50 and terminal apparatuses 60A, 60B, . . . , which are connected via a network 61. The studio includes, for instance, recording devices 51A, 51B, 51C, . . . , an editing apparatus 52, and a communication section 54, which are interconnected via a LAN or other network 53. The communication section 54 controls the communication between network 61 and network 53.
The recording devices 51A, 51B, 51C, . . . use a removable recording medium such as a magnetic tape or optical disk, and record input AV data files on the removable recording medium. A hard disk or other fixed medium may be used as a recording medium for the recording devices 51A, 51B, 51C, . . .
A common computer, such as a personal computer, may be used as the editing apparatus 52, which includes a communication section that is capable of establishing communication via network 61. The editing apparatus 52 can read AV data files stored in the recording devices 51A, 51B, 51C, . . . , edit the AV data files, and write the edited AV data files into the recording devices 51A, 51B, 51C.
The terminal apparatuses 60A, 60B, . . . are used, for instance, for recording, reproducing, or editing video camera data or other video data. These apparatuses include a communication section that is capable of establishing communication via network 61.
The recording devices 51A, 51B, 51C, . . . exchange AV data files with the editing apparatus 52 and terminal apparatuses 60A, 60B, . . . The terminal apparatuses 60A, 60B, . . . store AV data, which is obtained, for instance, as a result of shooting or editing, into a file, and transmit the file to the recording devices 51A, 51B, 51C, . . . via network 61.
In the conventional video recording reproducing system 100, AV data file transmission/reception via network 61 is executed directly between the terminal apparatuses 60A, 60B, . . . and recording devices 51A, 51B, 51C, . . . When, for instance, terminal apparatus 60B is to transmit an AV data file to recording device 51A, a file transmitting person verifies that recording device 51A is available for recording by checking the free space remaining on the recording medium inserted into recording device 51A and the internal status such as the format that recording device 51A can handle for recording purposes. Further, the file transmitting person selects recording device 51A as a recording destination for terminal apparatus 60B, and then transmits the AV data file. If recording device 51A is not available for recording, the file transmitting person checks the internal status of another recording device, such as recording device 51B, verifies that recording device 51B is available for recording, and transmits the AV data file.